Any ideas about this stuff in the Fermenter...??

[Melbourner76]

Gday! Got this yeast looking kinda stuff on top of my fermenter this time, close to get bottled.


It’s been 20 Days in, Aussie Pale Ale, 20C, gravity went from 1040 to 1007. Around 4,9 ABV, smells and tastes ok, probably a “bit” sour.


Any ideas?? Don’t look and taste infected at all..


Thanks in advance for help and advices, appreciated!!!


✌

 

[user 35653]

1007

What was your original yeast? 1.007 is a bit low for a standard brewers yeast unless it has diastaticus enzymes coupled with it.

 

[Drewgong]

did you put hops in it?

 

[MHB]

If you're not sure its probably infected.
20 Days is way too long to leave beer in the primary fermenter (anything over 14 at low temperatures (<20oC) will do measurable harm). Yeast will breakdown (die) and add off flavours to the beer, among other things it will also release Lipids (fats/oils) that will damage head formation and retention.
I know its popular to think you do anything you like with beer and not pay a price - wrong!

If your ferment isn't over in 7 days you underpitched or had the ferment way too cold.
Mark

PS
Read the second half of this, it looks at how many home brew samples are infected (in short most of them)
http://www.morebeer.com/brewingtechniques/library/backissues/issue7.1/bonham.html

 

[brewgasm]

Hard to say what it is, chances are your beer is fine. I would go ahead and package it up.

I leave beer in the fermentor for 14-21 days depending on which fermentor used and haven't noticed any problems or Ill effect. But reading marks comment I think that I might do 10 to 14 days for the next couple of brews. It's not going to hurt to find out and generally fermentation is finished in 4-7 days anyway.

Edit, I have had a few brews recently that had poor head retention. Which is interesting...